Reservation Line: 980.321.4702

Tips For Success

OPEN MIC NIGHTS TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

– Look like you’re having fun!! Hopefully, you are!

– Know what you’re going to say before you hit the stage and practice (maybe not word-for-word practice because then you risk coming off as over-rehearsed, but at least know what your major talking points are complete with punchlines – I hear your houseplants like being talked to, try that).

– If you have a 3 minute set, rehearse your set to 2 minutes 30 seconds. You’re better served giving yourself and extra 30 second padding in your set, so that you can feel relaxed. Relaxed comes across as confident. Rushed trying to fit 4 minutes of jokes into a 3 minute set comes across as nervous. This will be a large, energetic crowd — they will be laughing longer at your jokes, so give yourself that extra 2 seconds per joke to let the audience laughter wash over you. Savor it. Plus, if a server drops a tray of drinks, then you’ll have the time to make fun of that.

– Cleaner comics find that they go further professionally, at least at this level.

– Be LOUD in the microphone.
– Project your voice down into the microphone (sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised)
– Imagine tying a two inch string from the cleft of your chin to the top of the microphone; where your chin leads, the microphone follows.
– You’re not a rapper and you actually cut down a lot of the microphone’s pick-up when your hand cups most of the microphone head. Hold the mic at the base instead.

– Enunciate your words.
-I’m getting older and hard-of-hearing – the better your diction is, the better I can understand your set. Said another way, one reason I don’t laugh at sets is because I don’t understand the words the comic on stage is using (slur words together, poor diction, heavy accent, slang that I don’t know), so I just smile politely and pass over you when I go to book longer sets.

– Tape and watch your sets.

– Have a good attitude!! Three hundred people a year want stage-time – having a great attitude helps set you apart.

– Finally, invite a lot of friends out!! And keep inviting them!! Having a team of people who believe in your dream can only amplify your success and fun!!

Have additional questions? E-mail Debbie at Charlotte@CrowdPlay.Events and be sure to mention that you’re inquiring about the Charlotte showroom since we operate in multiple cities.